Measles outbreak ‘remains hot’ in US, former CDC official says
Measles cases in South Carolina jumped to 933 on Feb. 10, including 13 additional infections in the past week, according to state health data.
The “largest known outbreak” of the sexually transmitted disease ringworm in the United States is occurring in Minnesota, according to local health officials.
In an advisory posted Feb. 11, the Minnesota Department of Health said more than 30 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported in the state’s metropolitan areas since the first case was confirmed in July 2025 in a patient who sought treatment for a genital rash.
Sexually transmitted ringworm, known as Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII), is not a worm, but a sexually transmitted fungus that infects the skin, according to the Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“TMVII infections can be confused with noncommunicable diseases (such as psoriasis) and other sexually transmitted diseases, and if treatment is delayed, they can cause scarring and secondary bacterial infections, which can continue to spread,” the CDC added.
To prevent TMVII infection, the health department advises people to avoid sexual contact and skin-to-skin contact while having symptoms or signs of a rash, avoid sharing clothing and personal items, and wash and dry clothing at high temperatures to kill fungal spores.
“Sexual partners of patients with TMVII should be informed and evaluated if they are symptomatic,” the department’s recommendations added.
Medical experts first warned about this rare and highly contagious fungal strain in the United States after it was first reported in New York in June 2024.
The first case was a man in his 30s from New York City who developed ringworm on his genitals, buttocks, and hands and feet after having sex with a man during a trip to California and abroad, including England and Greece, according to a JAMA Dermatology report released at the time.
According to the case study, the man returned home with an itchy, red rash on areas such as his groin, genitals, and buttocks, and tests confirmed he was infected with the rare fungus.
Contributor: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
